Refrigerator shele



Feb 7, 1939. N. L. BARNHARDT 2,145,199

REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed June 4, 1938 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor W [Vamzzdfiamkard Feb. 7, 1939. N. L. BARNHARDT REFRIGERATOR SHELF 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 File d June 4, 1938 Inventor JVWHZZZLfi /Zkard A itorneys Patented Feb. 7, 1939 Nannie L. Barnhardt, Concord, N. 0.

Application June 4,1938, Serial No. 211,932

3 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator shelves and an object of the invention is to provide a shelf structure which may be readily placed within or removed from the compartment of the I! refrigerator, and which embodies a pair of shelf elements so connected together that one of the shelf elements, may be raised above and into spaced parallelism with the other shelf element so as to permit articles tobe placed'on both of the shelf elements to the end that, when the elements thereof are arranged as just suggested, two shelves, substantially, in effect are provided for the refrigerator.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:- Figure 1 is a sectional view through a portion of a refrigerator cabinet and showing the shelf arranged therein,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet ahdthe shelf with the shelf elements arranged so, as to provide in effect two shelves, Figure 3 is a detail view showing a portion of 25 a frame member recessed for-a link.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at right angles to Figure 2,-and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showingthe pivoted shelf element in lowered position.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention my improved shelf comprises a shelf element 5- of relatively large dimensions and ashelf element 6 of slightly smaller dimen- 35 sions, in width, than the shelf element 5.

- Each of the'shelf elements 5 and 6, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a rectangular frame 1 formed of wire rod or other 0 suitable material, and which frame supports a l The cross bars 8 of the lower shelf section 5 adjacent the rearward edge of the shelf have 45 end portions thereof bent into "substantial Us to provide, as it were, at the rear edge of the shelf, substantially a continuous groove 9 ex- "tendingfor the full length of the shelf, while inwardly from the front ends thereof the cross 50 bars 8 of the lower shelf section 5 are similarly formed to provide a continuous groove 10 paralleling the groove 9, grooves 9 and I0 serving to accommodate opposed portions of the frame rod I of shelf section 6 when the latter is in the II lowered position shown in Figure 5.

plurality of laterally spaced transverse cross bars The shelf section 5 is retained substantially stationary within the] refrigerator compartment l-I through the medium of depending lugs l2 provided at opposite ends of the frame I of shelf I section 5 and adapted to engage, laterally, sup- 5' porting studs or pins l3 projecting inwardly from opposed side walls of the refrigerator compartment or cabinet II as will be clear from a study of Figures 1, 2 and 4.

Also above the studs [3 opposed side walls of 10 the refrigerator compartment or cabinet I I, and adjacent the frontwall of said cabinet or compartment are provided with supporting studs M with which lugs I5 provided on opposite ends of the frame I of shelf section 6 are adapted to engage as shown in Figure 4 in amanner to cooperate with links l6 for supporting the shelf section 6 in raised position, and in'parallelism with the shelf section 5.

In connection with the above it will be noted that adjacent the rear edge thereof the shelf section 6 is pivotally connected to the shelf section 5 through the medium of the aforementioned links l6 which at one end are pivoted to the end portions of the frame I of shelf section 6 and at a an opposite end are pivoted to corresponding end portions of the frame 1 of shelf section 5. In order to facilitate the connection of a link IS with the frames 1 said frames are recessed, as shown at I in Figure 3 and the links are pivoted in said recesses.

Also to permit the shelf sections to be nested as shown in Figure 5, the frame I of the shelf section 6 at opposite ends thereof is ofi'set'upwardly as shown.

Also, to prevent articles from falling off the rear edge of the shelf section 6 there is provided at the rear edge of the shelf 5 a suitable longitudinally extending guard or retaining rail I! which vat its opposite ends is formed integral with or otherwise suitably connected to the endmost cross bars 8 of the aforementioned shelf section 5.

It will thus be seen that by grasping the front edge of shelf section 6 the latter may be readily.

swung from the position shown in Figure 5 to the I raised position shown in Figure 4 and vice versa.

It will be further appreciated that with the .shelf sections 5 and 6 positioned as shown in Fig- It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility, and advantages of an invention ofthis character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is: 1. In a. refrigerator having a compartment provided with opposed walls having shelf-supporting studs projecting inwardly therefrom, there being on each wall one lower pair of studs and a third stud supported forwardly of the pair of studs and in a plane materially above the plane of the pair of studs, a shelf for said compartment including a shelf section having opposite end portions resting on the studs of said pairs and a second shelf section adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the first shelf section and when in lowered position to rest on the first shelf section, and links pivotally connected to the ends of the shelf sections adjacent the rear edges of said sections whereby the second shelf section may beelevated relative to the first shelf section and engage the aforementioned third studs to be supported thereby and by said links in said elevated position relative to the first shelf section.

2. A refrigerator shelf comprising a pair of shelf sections and supporting links pivotally connected to the ends of said shelf sections whereby one of said shelf sections may be raised or lowered with respect to the other of said shelf sections, and each of said shelf sections including a continuous rectangular frame and cross rods extending transversely between opposed sides of the frame, with the cross rods 'of the lower shelf section having depending substantially U-shaped bends adjacent the opposite edges of said shell section whereby to accommodate opposed side portions of the frame of the second shelf section when the latter, is in a lowered position with respect to the first shelf section.

3. In a refrigerator having a compartment provided with opposed walls having shelf-supporting studsprojecting inwardly therefrom, there being on each wall one lower pair of studs and a third stud supported frontwardly of the pair of studs and in a plane materially above the plane of thepair of studs, a shelf for said compartment including a shelf section having opposite end portions resting on the studs of said pairs and a second shelf section adapted. to be raised and lowered relative to the first shelf section and when in lowered position to rest on the first shelf section, and links pivotally connected to the ends of the shelf sections adjacent the rear edges of said sections whereby the second shelf section may be elevated relative to the first shelf section and engage, the aforementioned third stud to be supported thereby and by said links in said elevated position relative to'thefirst shelf section, each of said shelf sections including a frame and transverse bars extending between opposed sides of the frame, with the transverse bars of. the first shelf section having adjacent the ends thereof depending U-shaped bends to accommodate the frame of the second shelf section when the latter is in a lowered position, and said second shelf section being provided at the rear'edge thereof with an upstanding retaining rail.

NANNIE L BARN'HARDT. 

